which breed????

[norriscathy]

Don't forget Gelbvieh! We're about 60 miles east of you and nothing can touch our Gelbviehs. Yellow cows are better cows!!

 

[pruss06]

Thanks to all of you who gave input on the question of which breed you thought was the best option. I'm really leaning toward the Brangus cows w/ Santa Gertrudis bull. Mainly because I have an uncle who has raised Gerts forever and he would probably allow me to use his bull for free! Again really appreciate all the input; any other advice is always welcome... just trying to learn as much as possible while starting to get into this business. :lol:

 

[norriscathy]

Asking which breed on this board is kind of like asking which girl is prettier or which cowboy sits staighter in the saddle!

 

[dun]

Asking which breed on this board is kind of like asking which girl is prettier or which cowboy sits staighter in the saddle!

The first one is easy. The one you think you stand the best chance with, as to the cowboy, it don;t matter to me.

dun

 

[buckaroo_bif]

not herefords, especially if your south of central tx. Unless you pamper them day and night like many of these guys on the board, they won't hold up well in south texas climate.

:lol2: :lol2: you need to get out more.

Buyers at the salebarn's I go to knock hide and horns bad. History question why did they import herefords to put on longhorns to improve the breed that is why they were considered the great improver.

HEREFORDS - THE GREAT IMPROVER
With the end of the Civil War and the coming of the American Industrial Revolution, the westward expansion continued and so did America's appetite for beef. Western ranching developed from free land and local longhorned cattle originally brought to Mexico by the Spanish conquerors and allowed to drift northward into what is now America's great southwestern cattle country. These cattle were tough and had the bred-in ability to survive, a trait that enabled their being driven to railhead shipping points and then transported by rail to slaughter at eastern markets. It was on such cattle that Herefords proved the great improver. They survived the rough ranching conditions and improved beef quality in the process. Demand for Hereford bulls boomed.

that was a lo-o-ong time ago

 

[Ryder]

Asking which breed on this board is kind of like asking which girl is prettier or which cowboy sits staighter in the saddle!

I kind of slouch in the saddle. Doesn't seem to jar my back as much that way.

 

[pruss06]

I'm going with Gert cows and Black angus bull. I like the possibilities I get with these two breeds and then of course it helps that I have relatives that raise both! lol Hopefully get a deal! Thanks for all the input guys!

 

[TxStateCowboy]

not herefords, especially if your south of central tx. Unless you pamper them day and night like many of these guys on the board, they won't hold up well in south texas climate.

:lol2: :lol2: you need to get out more.

Buyers at the salebarn's I go to knock hide and horns bad. History question why did they import herefords to put on longhorns to improve the breed that is why they were considered the great improver.

I was referrin' to a herd of hereford cows not doing well in the south texas heat, not because of bias towards longhorns,

we've got about a dozen hereford cows and i just prefer a hardier breed in a cow. Our red brangus, black brangus, limousin, and crosses seem to be more efficient cattle for our ranch condition, size, and management.

A few young (7-11 month) hereford heifers died this fall, (mind you fall temperatures were in the 90s). Until we got these herfs, our animals never died unless its a 25 yr old longhorn or stuck in the mud.

Yeah horns and hide get docked but most of my lh are red, and their limo crosses have no horns (and more meat), so it works out well. The crumbiest limo calf from the scrawniest (and she looked horrible) longhorn brought about 395 at the sale barn. The thing is the cow cost me less than 300.

 

[pruss06]

Asking which breed on this board is kind of like asking which girl is prettier or which cowboy sits staighter in the saddle!

sure not kidding about that. lol

 

[BC]

I'm going with Gert cows and Black angus bull. I like the possibilities I get with these two breeds and then of course it helps that I have relatives that raise both! lol Hopefully get a deal! Thanks for all the input guys!

You may want to use the Gert cows and a Red Angus bull. Red by design for better heat tolerance.

 

[norriscathy]

I'm going with Gert cows and Black angus bull. I like the possibilities I get with these two breeds and then of course it helps that I have relatives that raise both! lol Hopefully get a deal! Thanks for all the input guys!

You may want to use the Gert cows and a Red Angus bull. Red by design for better heat tolerance.

Good point! Black cattle didn't work well for us.

 

[dun]

I'm going with Gert cows and Black angus bull. I like the possibilities I get with these two breeds and then of course it helps that I have relatives that raise both! lol Hopefully get a deal! Thanks for all the input guys!

You may want to use the Gert cows and a Red Angus bull. Red by design for better heat tolerance.

Good point! Black cattle didn't work well for us.

I think way back at the beginning of the questions he had stated he wanted black calves for selling.
Black Angus that are acclimated to his area shouldn;t suffer too much from the heat/humidity.
If it was me, I'ld use a Red Angus bull too, but I prefer red cattle and we don;t get docked the way we market them

dun

 

[pruss06]

I really appreciate all the input from all of you, I'm learning so much. As many of you I too prefer the RED but my understanding from talking to people around where I live, BLACK is what brings more at the sale; that's the only reason I was considering going with the black and also because my brother has a black angus bull that I could use for free!!! Tell me what all of you think - do you think there will be a significant difference from the red than the black???

 

[ALACOWMAN]

i would put that brangus cow & gert bull idea in archives of bad ideas thats like taking one step foward {brangus} two steps back {gert} now if you used herf bull on gert cows thats cross has a lot of promise or brangus cow herf bull. with the other cross you would have the leather market cornered id take my chances with the british bulls in the heat they might not perform well but a least you would have some meat on the calves.

 

[Hill Creek Farm]

I would recommend Hereford, because Herefords have the best disposition of any cattle breed. :cboy:

 

[Jovid]

I would recommend Hereford, because Herefords have the best disposition of any cattle breed.

As a Red Poll breeder I would have to disagree. I think that Red Polls have the best disposition of any cattle.

 

[Frankie]

I really appreciate all the input from all of you, I'm learning so much. As many of you I too prefer the RED but my understanding from talking to people around where I live, BLACK is what brings more at the sale; that's the only reason I was considering going with the black and also because my brother has a black angus bull that I could use for free!!! Tell me what all of you think - do you think there will be a significant difference from the red than the black???

Where will you sell the calves? Check out how black and red animals sell there. If it's a sale barn, spend some time there and see what sells best. Also, realize there are price differences because of weight, groupings, age, horns, casterated calves, etc., not just color or breed. Good luck...

 

[DOC HARRIS]

pruss06 - Well - you have had a great number of valuable suggestions and answers to your original question, "Which Breed????". I concur with most of them, and a few of them 120%! Let me add my input - which is a slight tangent to the main title of the post. In your "just-starting-out" mode, Breeds are important. No argument from me on that subject. - BUT - the very MOST IMPORTANT aspects of your 'beginning' BUSINESS are: PREPARATION and EDUCATION! ;-)

These CattleToday Forums are invaluable to a beginner, but the Internet has, in effect, the World's Knowledge at your fingertips! Think, Explore, Seek, Ask, and become an expert in using the Internet Search Engines on absolutely EVERY subject concerning your BUSINESS - because it IS your BUSINESS, and that is necessary for you to continue to stay in the business!

Be a sponge for knowledge. It pays big dividends!

By the Way - I suggest Brangas and Red or Black Angus cross IF that is what your local buyers are leaning toward. Get "Local Knowledge".

DOC HARRIS

 

[pruss06]

Thanks Doc and everyone else for your input on my questions... you've helped tremendously. Still think I'm going with Gert Cows and Angus bull. Just really like the characteristics that both breeds have and of course the fact I can use the bull for free!

 

[norriscathy]

I really appreciate all the input from all of you, I'm learning so much. As many of you I too prefer the RED but my understanding from talking to people around where I live, BLACK is what brings more at the sale; that's the only reason I was considering going with the black and also because my brother has a black angus bull that I could use for free!!! Tell me what all of you think - do you think there will be a significant difference from the red than the black???

The black color absorbs heat. You'll see black cows standing in the ponds in the summer time. Probably not the same with Brangus. In "Man Must Measure" they did some research that indicated that black hides approached 140 degrees in the 100 degree summer heat.